This post is sponsored by Manitoba Harvest.
View full post »
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE...View full post »

BLOODY MARY VEGGIE BURGERS

June 1st, 2016

pin it!pin it!pin it!pin it!
These burgers were my first epic grilling attempt of the season, and I’m so pleased with how they turned out! I know there are purists who prefer to call them “patties” but we’re staying with burgers because who craves patties?! These are so savoury and hearty. The veggie burger is kind of the OG plant-based option (for better or for worse), and while they are ubiquitous, I still crave them all the time. They’re my go-to “so hangry, can’t even talk” food. You have foods like that, right? I’ve never been content to rely on just one recipe for the burgs, and always try to play around with different grains, proteins, flavours etc. (Proof here + here!)

So this one has some bloody mary vibes. No booze though because that would be weird. Lots of spicy components, horseradish, a special sauce, a little lemon freshness, celery slaw for crunch, tomatoes by way of paste AND sundried little babies. This burger has some intense flavour that stands alone for real. Aside from set-up time, these took about 25 minutes for me to throw together, which is nice with those jam-packed summer days coming up.

We enjoyed these on some toasty ciabatta buns on our new little patio (yay!), trying to avert our gaze from the giant pile of dirt in our backyard (that’s left over from said patio). It’s all sitting on top of my vegetable garden area, so I need to figure out a strategy for getting rid of this stuff before that window closes. Although I am a proponent of the never-too-late club when it comes to vegetable gardening to some degree… I planted way too many Fall crops last year, so I’m focusing on greens, lettuces, tomatoes, summer squash, eggplant, hot peppers and just a little bit of celery root and winter squash in the mix. Also, I never used to be huge on non-veg gardening, but something changed this year and I’m spending most of my free time google-researching flowers and perennials these days. I’m actually 75 years old, guys. I have the Snapchats of my dog napping and my plant pointers as proof.

I hope everyone is having a sunny and great week so far! And if you’re not, maybe a burger will make it better? And if a veggie burger doesn’t work, my advice is to just say Screw it to all the BS that does’t make you happy. Hugs on hugs :D

pin it!pin it!pin it!pin it!
BLOODY MARY VEGGIE BURGERS RECIPE (Vegan, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free)Print the recipe here!SERVES: 4 large (seriously!) burgers or 6 on the smaller sideNOTES: Once I have the mixture all set in my bowl, I like to really rake over it with the backside of some fork tines to get everything “cut” together in a way. Using a food processor would expedite this process considerably. I did a grill set-up to cook mine, but you could certainly pan-fry them as well. I tried baking them and the results were not great. Better to pan fry in oil or “sear” on oiled foil on the grill to keep it together. Also, the grated beet really is just for colour. You could totally skip it if beets aren’t your thing.BURGER INGREDIENTS:⅓ cup quinoa, rinsed1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas, drained¾ cup raw sunflower seeds1 ½ teaspoons olive oil1 large shallot, fine dice (approximately ½ cup diced shallot)1 clove of garlic, minced1 tablespoon chili powder¼ cup sundried tomatoes (NOT the ones cured in oil), chopped fine1 tablespoon tomato paste1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce (or gluten-free tamari soy sauce)1 tablespoon finely grated red beetroot (optional–for colour)½ teaspoon lemon zesthot sauce, to tastesea salt and ground black pepper, to taste2 tablespoons certified gluten-free oat flourSLAW INGREDIENTS:1 rib celery, finely sliced with a mandoline4 kale leaves, tough stems removed & finely sliced1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice1 teaspoon olive oil½ teaspoon prepared horseradishBURGER SAUCE:1 part ketchup1 part vegan mayonnaise (I love Sir Kensington’s Fabanaise)prepared horseradish to tastesqueeze of fresh lemon juicePlace the quinoa in a small saucepan. Cover the quinoa with ⅔ cup filtered water. Turn the heat onto medium high and bring quinoa to a boil. Simmer until all water has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Set aside.While quinoa is cooking, in a large bowl, mash the chickpeas with a potato masher or fork. There should still be some slightly larger pieces of chickpea. Set aside.Grind the sunflower seeds in a food processor or the dry container of a Vitamix (or similar). It should look like almond meal with a few whole seeds remaining. Transfer ground sunflower seeds to the bowl with the chickpeas. Add the cooked quinoa to the bowl as well.Rinse out the saucepan, and return it to the heat. Add the olive oil to the pan and let it heat up. Add the shallots to the pan and saute until slightly soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and chili powder to the pan. Stir and cook until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove the shallot mixture from the heat and add it to the bowl with the chickpeas and quinoa.To the chickpea mixture, add the sundried tomatoes, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, grated beetroot, lemon zest, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir mixture with a spatula thoroughly to combine, or use the back of the tines of a fork to “rake” the mixture together. Sprinkle the oat flour over to of the mixture. With your hands, bring the burger mixture together one more time.Divide the burger mixture into either 4 or 6 patties, carefully but firmly patting them together with your hands. Set a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Lat the formed burgers on the lined baking sheet as you finish them. Cover the burgers with plastic wrap and let them set up in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.Make the slaw: In a medium bowl, combine the celery, kale, lemon juice, olive oil, horseradish, salt, and pepper. Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.Make the burger sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, mayonnaise, horseradish, and lemon juice. Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.Preheat your grill to medium high. Lay a sheet of foil over the grates and grease the foil with either a spray oil or brushed-on olive oil. Place the burgers directly onto the foil and bring the lid down. Cook the burgers on one side for 8-10 minutes. Open the grill back up, very carefully flip the burgers over, and then close the lid again. Cook the burgers for another 8-10 minutes, or until you see some light charring.Serve the bloody mary veggie burgers hot on toasted buns or in crisp butter lettuce leaves with the slaw and burger sauce. Enjoy!

These look delicious! And yes to burgers over patties ;) Also, I’m loving the new site design. SashaReplyCancel

Pia02/06/2016 - 10:08 am

Actually more like “HOLY MOLY” because these look out of this world good *insert heart-eyed emoji*. And in case I haven’t told you before, I want to know that your food photographs are of that kind that really make me go ‘DAMN :O’ and let me tell you that there are not all too many food blogs that do that do to me. So keep it all coming :)ReplyCancel

Yes but that burger sauce! Stupid easy but it sounds so delicious! Awesome burgers, Laura. I always want to bake patties (I mean burgers) but they are never quite as satisfying. Going to try the searing on oiled foil method. At night I sit on the porch and watch my garden grow with a cup of peppermnit tea, I’m probably ready for retirement but it’s my total happy place. Enjoy your patio this weekend xReplyCancel

I already have go-to favorites for veggie burger recipes, but these I’m going to have to try!! They look absolutely delicious! Also, I love your gardening talk; makes me feel like I’m not the only youngish gardening granny around. :)ReplyCancel

It would still work! Just blot the excess oil off of the sundried tomatoes before proceeding with the recipe :)
-LReplyCancel

Megan Tienhaara11/05/2017 - 3:30 pm

These are absolute perfection! I have been moving my family toward a more plant-based diet (reluctantly). My husband is especially wary of any type of veggie burger. I made these for lunch, and he actually had seconds! Thank you for such a great recipe.ReplyCancel

Literally the BEST veggie burgers ever!! My go-to that I’ve been eating daily over a salad and can’t get enough. I tried mixing in three eggs to boost protein for my hubby and turned out great! Thanks for yet another perfect recipe.ReplyCancel

I loved these irresistible burgers and their sauce and salad. This is the second recipe I have made of yours and my suspicion is confirmed. You are a textural genius–the flavor was sensational as well, but it is the textural perfection (so much variety, so satisfying) and the creativity in both flavor and texture that propelled this recipe to greatness.ReplyCancel

I made these for my family and they loved them. They were delicious. I had forgotten how filling quinoa could be. I need to remember to incorporate it into more recipes. I did not make the slaw to save time and I did not add the beetroot. Thanks so much for sharing and creating such flavorful and healthy, vegan recipes.ReplyCancel